Christmas With Bruce Wayne
by acethebatdog2039
Summary: Terry is at Wayne Manor for Christmas. I hope you like it. Merry Christmas! R&R please!


Christmas With Bruce Wayne

by

Acethebatdog2039

_Note: I have wanted to write this one for a very long time. I hope this is a one shot. Ok, I'm not hoping I'm praying! Terry's mother and brother are out of Gotham City. Seeing family or something like that. Terry's 17. This is set after RotJ._

_Christmas Eve, Gotham City, 2040_

Two men were sitting in a car, one younger and one older. The younger one was driving. The car radio wasn't playing the normal Christmas Music but an old Shinedown song Better Version:

Excuse the mess, I didn't see you from behind

I caught a glimpse, but the reflection's only mine

It's almost like I'm paralyzed and locked outside myself

What I don't need is to concede because I won't be someone else

I am not perfect and I don't claim to be

And if that's what you wanted

Well then I'm so sorry

_How about a better version of, the way that I am_

_How about a better version that, makes me understand_

_How about a better version of, the way that I am_

_The way I look, the way I speak,_

_How about a better version of me_

_Excuse the wall, I put it up from time to time_

_A silver shade, and the design is all mine_

_It's just a maze that everyday I seem to be stuck in_

_It never seems to fade away but I pray for the day it ends_

_I am not perfect and I don't claim to be_

_And if that's what you wanted_

_Well then I'm so sorry_

_How about a better version of, the way that I am_

_How about a better version that, makes me understand_

_How about a better version of, the way that I am_

_The way I look, the way I speak,_

_How about a better version of me_

_Show me my vital signs until I'm realigned x 4_

_How about a better version of, the way that I am_

_How about a better version that, makes me understand_

_How about a better version of, the way that I am_

_The way I look, the way I speak,_

_How about a better version of me x3_

The older man turned the radio off as the young man stopped the car in front of an ally way. He turned off the car and looked at the elder as he got out of the car using his cane. Before he closed the door the elder poked his head back in the car to look at the young man.

"Terry you can come with me." he stopped "If you want." He said before closing the door.

The young man named 'Terry' sat in the car confused. Then he got out of the car and took a few long steps to fall behind the older man.

"Bruce you sure?"

"Yes. Your family." the man called 'Bruce' said.

Bruce stopped at one point, Terry stopped just behind him. Bruce pulled out a box from his coat, two red roses. One rose for his mother and the other for his father. He placed them on the spot were they died, like he does every Christmas and the day they died. Normally no one goes with him, but this past year had been hard on both himself and the young man standing behind him. And they have one more spot to visit before going home.

"Come on, Terry." Bruce said after a moments of silence. They both headed to the parked car.

Terry got to the car first and started it, to warm it up. Bruce took the passenger seat.

The two didn't say a word on the way to their next location. The quiet was starting to bug Terry. He never really liked the quiet between them in the car on a day like this.

_After midnight to night it will be Christmas and he's acting so odd. I know he loves them still but some things are better to let go, then to hold on for so long. _Terry thought. They were heading to graveyard; to the place were both Bruce's parents and Terry's father now laid.

Terry left Bruce to see his parents' headstones; Terry went to his fathers'.

Terry pulled out one white rose and placed it on the ground next to his father's headstones. Terry went to his knees, he didn't care that the snow went right into his pant making him cold. Terry brushed the snow off the headstone.

"I love you, dad." He said to himself. "I see you next year." He said getting off the ground and brushing off the snow that was on his pants.

Terry walked to were the graveyard spilt into two parts the old area and the new one. Bruce was waiting at the spilt. Terry looked up to his mentor and gave a head nodded to the car. Bruce walked to the leaving Terry behind, before leaving for the car; Terry took one quick look at his father's headstone.

Terry sat in the car; he put it into gear and drove away. They both didn't say a word. Terry stopped the car at a stoplight before turning on to the highway. The Bay had little ice blocks floating in it. As Terry drove to the manor it started to snow.

Terry followed the road to the manor, he stopped the car before the massive front doors. A great black head was in one of the windows. The black figure was braking and jumping up and down. Terry and Bruce walked into the warm house, leaving the snow behind.

The black figure jumped up and down on Terry. "Ace. Calm down. I know your happy to see us." Terry said letting the dog outside.

Bruce and Terry made their way down to Bruce's office. Bruce made his way to the grandfather clock and opened it. They both made there way to the cave. The cave was cold, the bats in the cave were asleep.

Bruce made his way to his chair, Terry was behind him.

"Can't you believe it, Barbara took the suit. Just so I could take the Christmas weekend off." Terry said.

Bruce signed. "I still can't believe she did that. So, that means we should just make sure there is nothing on, then we can go upstairs and get out of this cold."

Terry laughed. "Ah, you don't like the cold." Terry sat on the end of the computer, Terry looked at Bruce. "This is all we get to do, today?"

"Yes." Bruce sat back in his chair. "I used to work until 11:59 on Christmas Eve; Alfred would call and yell at me until I said that I was on my way home."

"Yeah, but you never had your mother yelling at you, saying 'were the hell are you?' in your ear!" Terry said laughing.

"Good point."

They both made sure that everything was sound before heading upstairs. Terry closed the clock as he left. Bruce let Ace in, the black dog shook the snow off his coat and walked behind his owner, who was walking into the living room.

Bruce sat on the couch Ace jumped on the couch and laid on him, Terry walked past them and leaned on the back of the other couch.

"So, what are we doing tonight?" Terry asked.

"I don't know. Go to bed early?" Bruce asked.

"I like that idea. After I work out for a little bit, to burn off that extra energy that I would burn off working. Then I'm taking a shower, then I'm going to make you watch that movie." Terry said walking to the room that he was sleeping in at the manor.

"What movie?" Bruce asked. "Do I have too?"

Terry shot him a look; "Yes. You said that you would. And I'm not telling you what movie." Terry went into his room and changed into other clothes to work out in. "See you later." He shot back walking to the other side of the house.

Bruce turned on the news when he heard someone come in.

Barbara and Tim.

They walked over to Bruce, Ace picked up his head and gave a low growl. When he saw who it was he laid back down on Bruce.

"Hey, just coming to see if you two haven't killed each other yet." Barbara said joking. "I mean the kid's not working, so you two can't fight over the radio."

Bruce rolled his eyes. "Now he as nothing to do now."

"Where is he?" Tim asked, looking around.

"He better not be out there." Barbara growled at Bruce.

"No. He's in the training room. Burning off the energy that he would used working tonight." Bruce said. "He is going to make me watch some movie. He wouldn't tell me tell me what it is."

Tim and Barbara sat down on the other couch watching the news with Bruce. The people on the news were speaking about Batman stopping a group of Jokezs, from beating a young man to death.

"Well, as least he helped that young man, before he gets his time off. The young man doing better." Barbara said shooting Bruce a look. "He needs a more time off, Bruce. He still might be young but he needs time to sleep."

"You think I don't know that." Bruce shot back.

"Okay, be nice. It's Christmas Eve." Tim said.

"That was nice." Bruce said.

The three of them watched the news before the Gotham State University football game came on, by that time Terry was walking back from his workout.

"Hey guys. What up?" Terry said running a hand through his wet with sweat black hair. "Hey, Barbara here to give me the suit back?"

"No. Here to see what you two are doing tonight." she said.

"Well, I'm taking a shower then I'm going to find food. See you later." Terry said heading upstairs.

"Well, I'm missing dinner with my in-laws." Tim said getting off the couch and heading to the door: "See you later Bruce. Merry Christmas!" he yelled closing the door.

Barbara got up from the couch too, heading to the door. "Sam and I are having dinner with a few friends. I'll you later. Merry Christmas Bruce." she said walking out.

"What is with people and leaving me today?" Bruce asked Ace.

The dog just picked up his head, and went back to sleep. "Thanks Ace."

Bruce watched the football game, not really caring. Terry came down stairs in a pair of clean sweat pants and a Hill High shirt on.

Terry noticed that Barbara and Tim were gone.

"Where they go?" he asked.

"They left us." Bruce said not taking his eyes of the T.V.

"They don't like us anymore." Terry said joking.

He sat down on the couch that Barbara and Tim left.

"So, are we going to watch that movie? Or are we just going to sit here all night?" Bruce asked a little annoyed.

"Yeah, we'll watch it now." Terry said walking over to the T.V. "Were is it? Oh, I found it."

Terry put the DVD in the player and sat back down on the couch pulling his legs under him.

Bruce turned up the T.V. and waited.

2 Hours later 

Bruce kicked Ace off the couch and stood up. He rubbed his neck with his free hand the other held his cane. On the other couch Terry fell asleep watching the movie. Ace went over to the couch and rubbed his wet cold nose on the back of Terry's neck.

"Cold nose!" Terry yelled jumping up.

"Come on kid. Time for bed." Bruce said making his way to the second floor.

"But, I'm not tired." Terry yawned.

"Whatever kid." Bruce said at the top of the stairs.

Terry followed Bruce. Bruce went to the end of the hallway, to his room. Terry went to the room three doors up from Bruce's room.

_Christmas Day, Gotham City, 2040_

Terry sat up in his bed and looked out the window. It was snowing again. This snow wasn't like the others Gotham had in the past three weeks. It was a light snowfall.

Terry got out of bed and walked down stairs and into Bruce's office. On the way to Bruce's office Terry stop to look at the 15 foot Christmas tree. Terry had to bug Bruce to put it up. Bruce saying that he hasn't put the tree up in years. Bruce was sitting at his desk going through papers.

"Your not working are you?" Terry asked sitting at one of the chairs in front of mentor's desk.

"I was waiting for you to get up." He said putting the papers away. "Your mother called she said that there are a few gifts at the your house if you want to get them."

"I have pick up few things. But I'm going to wait until they get home to open them." Terry said.

"I don't do presents, Terry." Bruce said.

"Who said they were for you?" Terry asked sarcastically. "I'm going to get dress then I'm going out." he got out of his chair.

Bruce just glared at him. "Where?"

"Church" Terry said going upstairs to get dress.

"Why?" Bruce questioned.

"I'm Catholic, Bruce. We go to church every Christmas morning." he said out the office door.

Bruce just shook his head.

_Christmas Day, Gotham City, 2040 Two hours later_

Barbara and Tim walked in the Manor as quietly as humanly possible to make sure Bruce didn't hear them. Ace met them at the door.

"I'll go look for Terry." Tim said going to look in the teenager's room he was using at the manor.

Barbara looked in the office for Bruce. She didn't find him in there, she looked in the kitchen didn't find him and then she stolen a glance out one of the many back windows of the mansion. She saw Bruce in his winter coat no hat on just staring at an object.

Barbara made her way to join her old friend. " Marry Christmas Bruce," she said as the came next to him outside.

"Hello Barbara." If he was surprised he didn't show it. "What are you doing here? It's Christmas. As everyone keeps telling me."

"Bruce Christmas is a time to spend with family and friends. Where's Terry? Tim looking for him." she said putting her hands into her coat pockets.

"Church." he said simply.

Barbara just nodded. She seem to forget that Terry was raised in a religions family until his parents got divorced.

"Come on Tim's in the house." she said simply pulling at his coat sleeve.

The pair walked in the mansion to hear sounds of a teenager and one of Bruce's adopted sons. They found Terry and Tim sitting in the living room chatting away about nameless things. Bruce and Barbara removed their coats and sat in the living room with the two.

Barbara, Tim, and Terry chattered of family and friends. Bruce sat back and watched the three enjoy each other's company.

"So, what are you two doing today?" Tim asked Bruce and Terry.

"Just a nice and quiet night at home." Bruce said Terry nodded in agreement.

"If guys want you can come to the house for dinner." Barbara offered.

"No, it's alright. But thanks." Terry said.

Barbara and Tim stayed for a little while longer. The two said their goodbyes. Terry walked them to the door, and then came back to the living room.

"I have something for you." Bruce said.

"You said you didn't do gifts," Terry said taken back.

Bruce pulled a little wrapped box out inside in coat pocket. Terry looked at the box then back at Bruce.

"Open it McGinnis." Bruce ordered.

Terry pulled the wrapping paper off to find a little black box. He opened it to find a cross. A sliver cross with a sliver chain, Terry put the box on the side table.

"It was my father's." Bruce said basically.

"I can't take this." Terry said.

"I want you to have it. My father was catholic. I had a feeling you would like it."

"You didn't know I was catholic until this morning" Terry sat on the couch looking over the front of the cross.

"I'm the detective remember?" Bruce raised an eyebrow.

Terry the cross to the backside and saw letters;

_T.W._

_B.W._

_T.M._

"When you do this?" Terry questioned.

"Awhile back." Bruce admitted.

"Thanks, old man." Terry said putting it on.

"No big deal, kid." Bruce said.

_Christmas Day, Gotham City, 14 years later_

"Bruce, I'm home!" Terry yelled pulling off his black coat as he was yelling through the house.

"In the office!" Came Bruce's answer.

Terry walked into the office. Bruce was sitting at his desk watching his son enter the room. Bruce spotted around Terry's neck the cross he gave to him years ago.

"You still have it?" Bruce questioned.

"It stays in the family. You knew then didn't you?" Terry asked with some anger in his voice.

"Yes but it didn't seem right to tell you."

"I'm alright with it now. It just hurt at the time." Terry ran a hand through his black hair.

"Where's your wife?" Bruce asked.

"She'll be here in a bit." Terry said. "She should…" he was cut off by the sound of his cell phone ringing. "Bet you it's Kent."

He pulled it out of his pants pocket and flipped it open. "McGinnis? Yeah Kent? See told you it's Kent?" He made his way the clock just in case. "On my way. Be there in ten." He hung the phone and opened the clock.

"Oh, by the way. Merry Christmas, old man." Terry said disappearing into the underground cave.

"Merry Christmas, Terry. Merry Christmas." Bruce said before the clock/door closed.

End 

_Note: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. This is my first short story. I hope you like it. This idea came from a teacher of mine. Have a good break if your in school and happy time off._

_Happy Holidays, _

_Ace_


End file.
